Written Answers Tuesday 6 September 2005

Scottish Executive

Cancer

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will introduce a bowel cancer screening programme involving issuing home testing kits to people over 60.

Mr Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-18315 on 31 August 2005. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Child Protection

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will introduce a central register of individuals who work with children in order to avoid any repeat security checks which some individuals are currently required to undertake.

Robert Brown: We are working towards the implementation of a new vetting and barring scheme for those who work with children and vulnerable adults in response to the recommendations in the Bichard Report. The proposed scheme will include continuous updating of an individual’s barred status as new information comes to light. That coupled with the intention to provide the facility for organisations with a genuine interest to check an individual’s current status, will remove the need for multiple disclosure checks.

Child Protection

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether potential volunteers are being deterred from coming forward to work with children due to bureaucracy involved in the security checks which have to be carried out and which, in some cases, are carried out more than once.

Robert Brown: Research carried out by TNS System Three last year on behalf of Volunteer Development Scotland indicated that for 83% of people, the requirement to undergo a disclosure check did not affect their willingness to volunteer. It is important, however, that we keep the levels of bureaucracy in relation to disclosure checks low, whilst doing all we can to protect children. Turnaround times within Disclosure Scotland have reduced significantly. We are now working with the Central Registered Body for Scotland to reduce delays in that part of the process.

  In the longer term, it is intended that the new vetting and barring system being developed in response to recommendations in the Bichard Report will remove the need for multiple disclosure checks.

Health

Mr John Swinney (North Tayside) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost of the out-of-hours health care service was in the year (a) prior to and (b) following GPs opting out of the service.

Mr Andy Kerr: It is not possible to make a direct comparison between out-of-hours services prior to and after the implementation of the GP opt-out. This is because new out-of-hours services, although continuing to rely heavily on GPs, have been or are in the process of being substantially redesigned by NHS boards using a range of different providers.

  Prior to the new General Medical Services (GMS) contract, out-of-hours services were the responsibility of general practitioners and cost information on out-of-hours services was not separately identifiable.

  Following the negotiation of the new GMS Contract, GPs are able to opt-out of out-of-hours services and they have become the responsibility of each NHS board. Cost information is therefore held at NHS board level rather than by the department.

Health

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many NHS boards currently carry out hearing tests on new-born babies and what the timetable is for introducing these tests in NHS boards that do not carry out such tests.

Lewis Macdonald: All health boards in Scotland currently carry out hearing tests for newborn babies. Twelve boards routinely offer universal newborn hearing screening to newborn babies and the other three boards offer targeted screening for babies who are at a high risk of hearing impairments.

  By October 2005 all boards will have fully implemented routine hearing tests for all new-born babies.

Health

Euan Robson (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that the recent cessation of skin preparation before injection is a contributing factor in the spread of healthcare-associated infections.

Mr Andy Kerr: In June 2004, the Scottish Executive asked Health Protection Scotland (HPS) to conduct a literature review of published scientific studies on this issue. Its findings are re-evaluated when new studies are published. In light of the evidence gathered to date, HPS have concluded that routine preparation of the skin by swabbing with alcohol prior to injection carries little or no benefit in terms of infection control. However, if the injection site is visibly soiled it should be washed with soap and water.

  This approach is consistent with the views of the World Health Organization’s Safe Injection Global Network.

Health

Euan Robson (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish any relevant information on the cessation of skin preparation before injection as a possible contributing factor in the spread of healthcare-associated infections.

Mr Andy Kerr: A literature review commissioned by the Scottish Executive is available on Health Protection Scotland’s (HPS) website: http://www.show.scot.nhs.uk/scieh/infectious/hai/infection_control/ic_guidance_publications.htm .

  Its findings are re-evaluated by HPS when new studies are published.

International Relations

Phil Gallie (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many Scottish towns or cities have twinning links with other EU towns or cities.

Mr Tom McCabe: This information is not held centrally. We are, however, placing on our website ( www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Government/International-Relations ) details of known bilateral links provided by Scottish local authorities to the Scottish Executive. These details are also being placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 37353).

International Relations

Phil Gallie (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what financial support it has provided in each of the last five years to encourage links between Scottish and EU citizens through town-twinning arrangements

Mr Tom McCabe: Information on the European Commission town-twinning budget is not held by the Scottish Executive. The budget is administered by the Commission’s Directorate-General for Education and Culture. The Scottish Executive has not provided separate financial support for town-twinning.

International Relations

Phil Gallie (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what funding Scottish towns and cities have attracted in each of the last five years from EU funding available for encouraging contact through twinning arrangements and what proportion of sums paid to the United Kingdom as a whole this represents.

Phil Gallie (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what total sum has been available to all EU countries from the EU budget for town-twinning support in each of the last five years.

Phil Gallie (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what funding each EU country has received for town-twinning support in each of the last five years and what proportion of the United Kingdom’s share has been allocated to Scotland.

Mr Tom McCabe: This information is not held centrally.

Internet Domain Names

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is considering registering appropriate .eu top-level domains for itself in phase 1 of EURid’s sunrise period and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.

Mr Tom McCabe: Under the public policy rules for .eu top level domains, these have allowed member states to request domain names directly related to their country name. The UK Cabinet Office, in consultation, has reserved a number of geographic names including www.scotland.eu and the Executive expects to be able to use this.

  In addition, the Executive intends to register a limited number of other appropriate .eu domain names during phase 1 of the sunrise period. The Executive will register these domain names primarily to protect and prevent abuse of the Scottish Executive.

Internet Domain Names

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will encourage other public bodies to register their appropriate .eu top-level domains.

Mr Tom McCabe: The Scottish Executive wrote to Scottish public bodies on 18 June 2004 to raise their awareness about the .eu top level domain name. However, it is for each individual public body to determine whether or not to register an .eu domain

Internet Domain Names

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what input it has had, and will have, into the United Kingdom’s governmental verification points and validation agents, as referred to in Article 13 of Regulation (EC) No 874/2004.

Mr Tom McCabe: The Scottish Executive has appointed a government verification point to check Scottish public body applications for .eu domain names.

  The Executive has been working closely with the UK Cabinet Office and the Department for Trade and Industry, who are the lead UK Department in this matter, and has been represented at two events in Brussels organised to raise awareness of the .eu domain, how it will operate and the role of the government verification point.

  EURID, who were selected by the European Union to operate the .eu domain name have appointed PriceWaterhouseCoopers as the validating agent.

Internet Domain Names

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it would support the creation of a geographic second level domain for Scotland as part of the .eu top-level domain that is administered by EURid.

Mr Tom McCabe: The Scottish Executive has registered the domain name www.scotland.eu under the EC public policy rules for .eu. There are no plans to create a geographic second level domain.

NHS 24

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive which individuals and organisations it consulted on its review of NHS 24 and, of these, which have responded.

Mr Andy Kerr: The review of NHS 24 is an independent review and any consultation is a matter for Owen Clarke and his team. However, I understand that the review team has consulted with a number of individuals and representative bodies including patients, staff, voluntary organisations, accident and emergency consultants, NHS boards, GPs and members of the public.

NHS Boards

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive which IT systems are used by each NHS board.

Mr Andy Kerr: All NHS boards use national systems as follows: Payroll, SCI Store (clinical information repository), CHI (Community Health Index), National Screening Systems, SCI Gateway (clinical communication).

  Full details of all other systems used by all health boards are not held centrally but the main IT systems used by each NHS board are listed in the table. Although these systems are not necessarily the same across NHS boards, where applicable they are required to be compatible and meet certain criteria. Common information standards are in place, they report on the same basis for national statistics and they are interfaced to a common infrastructure which can be configured to allow them to share data.

  

 NHS Board
 Patient Administration System
 Laboratory
 Radiology*
 Finance
 HR


 Argyll and Clyde
 Compas 
 ApexPinnacleLabCentre
 RadwyseiSoftAmersham
 Cedar 
 Empower


 Ayrshire and Arran
 CompasMcKesson 
 ApexTelepath 2000
 McKessonKodak 
 Cedar
 Empower


 Borders
 iSoft
 Labcentre
 Amersham
 Cedar 
 procuring


 Dumfries and Galloway
 Compas 
 Apex
 Bull 
 Cedar
 Vizual 


 Fife
 Capula
 TorexMasterLab
 Kodak
 Cedar
 Centurion 


 Golden Jubilee
 Capula
 Labcentre
 Kodak 
 Sage
 None


 Grampian
 iSoft 
 Apex
 Misys Sectra
 Cedar 
 SWISS


 Forth Valley
 Compas
 Apex
 Mysis
 Cedar 
 PWIS


 Greater Glasgow
 ISoftMeditech
 Telepath
 MeditechCRIS
 Cedar
 EmpowerPWA


 Highland
 iSoft
 Pinnacle
 procuring
 Integra
 None


 Lanarkshire
 iSoft
 MasterLab
 Amersham
 Cedar
 Empower


 Lothian
 iSoft 
 Labcenter iLAB
 Inhouse TSS RadwiseRadcentre
 Cedar 
 PWA LOMIS


 Orkney
 Compas
 Labcenter
 Kodak
 Resource
 none


 Shetland
 Compas 
 Masterlab
 None
 Accpac
 SDMS


 Tayside
 CompasClinicom
 Labcentre
 In House
 Cedar
 In House


 Western Isles
 Compas
 Medipath
 Sapphire
 Cedar 
 None



  Note: *Several NHS boards are in the process of reviewing their Radiology systems as part of preparing to introduce the national PACS – digital X-Ray – system.

NHS Staff

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many consultants have received cash bonuses under the Distinction Awards scheme in each year since 1999.

The Executive have supplied the following corrected answer:

Andy Kerr: The numbers of consultants who have received cash bonuses under the Distinction Awards scheme in each year since 1999 are as follows:

  

 Year
 Award Holders in Scotland as at 30 September


 1999
 398


 2000
 406


 2001
 427


 2002
 443


 2003
 455


 2004
 479



  The number of awards for which Scottish consultants are eligible are based on annual recommendations made by the Doctors’ and Dentists’ Review Body (DDRB). No decisions have yet been taken for 2005.

  The Executive is committed to conducting a review of the current awards schemes for consultants. Ministers are presently considering the parameters for this review.

NHS Waiting Times

Ms Wendy Alexander (Paisley North) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the waiting times were for (a) in-patient, (b) day and (c) out-patient cases for (i) all specialities and (ii) coronary care specialties, such as angioplasty, angiography and coronary artery bypass graft, and what information it has on the equivalent waiting times in England in each of the last five years.

Mr Andy Kerr: The majority of patients who require in-patient or day case treatment, including heart operations, are treated quickly. Nearly 55% of patients treated in NHSScotland hospitals are admitted immediately and never join a waiting list. Of those who do wait, 41% are admitted within one month and almost 70% within three months.

  For those who have to wait longer, the national maximum waiting time was reduced from 12 months to nine months at the end of 2003. This guaranteed waiting time will be further reduced to six months by the end of this year and to 18 weeks by the end of 2007.

  National maximum waiting times have also been set for the diagnosis and treatment of coronary heart disease. Currently, these are eight weeks for angiography – a diagnostic test – and 18 weeks for coronary artery bypass graft surgery or angioplasty. These guaranteed waiting times will be replaced by a "total journey" maximum wait of 16 weeks from GP referral, through a rapid access chest pain clinic or equivalent, to cardiac intervention, from the end of 2007.

  With regard to out-patient waiting times, the majority of patients referred by a general medical or dental practitioner for a first out-patient appointment at a consultant-led clinic are seen quickly, with nearly 54% of patients being seen with nine weeks of referral and 66% within 13 weeks. For those who have to wait longer, we have set a national maximum waiting time target of 26 weeks from referral to consultation, by the end of 2005. This will be reduced to 18 weeks from the end of 2007.

  To ensure performance is monitored effectively, Partnership for Care included a commitment to establish a national out-patient waiting list. Information on this list was published for the first time on 30 September 2004, and has been published quarterly since then. On 30 June 2005, 15,432 patients without an availability status code had waited more than 26 weeks for a first out-patient appointment – a reduction of 6,706 since 31 March 2005.

  Information on waiting times for in-patient and day case treatment for the last five years and for the treatment of coronary heart disease against national commitments, since 30 June 2003, is given in the table.

  Information about waiting times in England is available from Department of Health websites:

  http://www.performance.doh.gov.uk/waitingtimes/index.htm.

  http://www.hesonline.nhs.uk/.

  NHSScotland: Number of In-Patient and Day Cases with a Guarantee who had Waited More than Six, Nine and 12 Months

  

 Date
 Waiting Time Commitment
 Number of Patients Waiting More than 6 Months
 Number of Patients Waiting more than 9 Months
 Number of Patients Waiting more than 12 Months


 30 June 2001
 12 Month Guarantee
 11,619
 3,227
 0


 30 June 2002
 12 Month Guarantee
 12,336
 3,841
 0


 30 June 2003
 12 Month Guarantee
 9,974
 1,177
 0


 30 June 2004
 9 Month Guarantee
 6,161
 0
 0


 30 June 2005
 9 Month Guarantee
 1,121
 0
 0



  NHSScotland: Number of Patients with a Guarantee who had Waited more than Eight Weeks and 12 Weeks for Angiography and 18 Weeks and 24 Weeks for Coronary Artery Bypass Graft or Angioplasty

  

 Date
 Waiting Time Commitment
 Angiography
 Coronary Artery Bypass Graft/Angioplasty (CABG/PTCA)


 Number Of Patients Waiting More Than 8 Weeks.
 Number Of Patients Waiting More Than 12 Weeks.
 Number Of Patients Waiting More Than 18 Weeks.
 Number Of Patients Waiting More Than 24 Weeks.


 30 June 2003*
 12 Weeks for Angiography and 24 Weeks for CABG/PTCA
 122
 7
 33
 0


 30 June 2004
 12 Weeks for Angiography and 18 Weeks for CABG/PTCA
 193
 1
 17
 3


 30 June 2005
 8 Weeks for Angiography and 18 Weeks for CABG/PTCA
 16
 2
 0
 0



  Source ISD Scotland: SMR3.

  Note: *Information only available from 30 June 2003.

National Health Service

Phil Gallie (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-17992 by Mr Andy Kerr on 15 August 2005, what monitoring of mandatory trawl procedures it undertakes.

Mr Andy Kerr: In return for the operational independence holding bodies now have in respect of property transactions, they are monitored on their implementation of the procedures contained in the NHSScotland Property Transactions Handbook. The Scottish Executive does not undertake any monitoring of individual transactions including, for example, compliance with mandatory trawl procedures as this is a function of the audit process conducted within each holding body.

  Audit Committees are responsible for the oversight of the internal audit programme and are responsible for reporting to health boards.

  NHSScotland holding bodies are required to submit to the department annual monitoring reports which provide an overview of each holding body’s performance in managing property transactions completed that year and which highlight instances where the procedures detailed in the Property Transactions Handbook have not been followed. This would include instances where trawl procedures have not been undertaken in accordance with the handbook and if appropriate actions have not been agreed between the internal auditor and the board to remedy such a situation then the department would intercede to ensure that procedures are put in place to ensure compliance with the Property Transactions Handbook.

National Health Service

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to implement changes to the Arbuthnott formula.

Mr Andy Kerr: The recommendations of the NHSScotland Resource Allocation Committee, which is tasked to look at ways of improving and refining the Arbuthnott formula, will impact on revenue allocations for 2008-09, at the earliest.

Procurator Fiscal's Office

Margaret Mitchell (Central Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average time has been for procurator fiscals to issue fixed penalty charges for (a) drinking in public places and (b) any other offence for which a fixed penalty is deemed appropriate, broken down by category of offence, in each commission area in each of the last five years.

Margaret Mitchell (Central Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average time has been for procurator fiscals in each commission area to issue (a) under-age drinking, (b) drinking in public places, (c) vandalism or wilful damage to property and (d) breach of peace charges in each of the last five years.

Margaret Mitchell (Central Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average time has been for procurator fiscals in each commission area to issue charges for (a) possession of (i) a knife and (ii) dangerous weapon, (b) assault or aggravated assault with a knife, (c) grievous bodily harm with a knife, (d) culpable homicide, (e) manslaughter involving stabbing and (f) murder involving stabbing.

Colin Boyd QC: Information is not available in the format requested. In addition, some of the charges referred to (e.g. manslaughter and grievous bodily harm) are not recognised offences in Scotland.

  The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service has a target of taking a decision on the appropriate course of action, and implementing that decision (including serving complaints in cases which are to be prosecuted under summary procedure), in at least 75% of cases within five weeks of the date on which the report is received from the reporting agency. This target applies to all cases except cases which are to be dealt with under solemn procedure. In the period April to July 2005 decisions were taken and implemented within five weeks in 87% of cases.

  In solemn cases (i.e. the more serious cases, where the case is to be dealt with in the High Court or in the sheriff court before a jury) where the accused is on bail, our target is to serve 80% of indictments within nine months. In the period April to July 2005, indictments were issued within that timescale in 81% of High Court cases and 90% of sheriff and jury cases.

Public Private Partnerships

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Skye Bridge and Inverness Airport provided models for buying out PFI contracts which it intends to replicate in respect of other PFI contracts.

Mr Tom McCabe: The Executive does not have a general policy for buying out PPP contracts. PPP contracts are for the long term and this is the spirit in which the public sector enters into these contracts. They provide important safeguards for the public sector because of the long-term commitment to maintenance of key public service assets.

  However, it is important that PPPs remain appropriate to changing circumstances and continue to offer value for money. The buy-out of the Skye Bridge was a consequence of a political commitment to abolish the tolls made in relation to the Partnership Agreement (Bib. number 27591). The Inverness Airport contract was examined in the light of altered market conditions which suggested that a continuation of this early PFI would not offer continued value for money over the remainder of the contract. Each of these is a unique circumstance and do not indicate any trend towards other buy-outs.

Rail Network

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how much will be invested in the First ScotRail franchise by (a) it, (b) FirstGroup plc and (c) any other sources.

Tavish Scott: The Scottish Executive will make franchise payments amounting to approximately £1.9 billion to First ScotRail over the seven year life of the franchise.

  Under the terms of the Franchise Agreement for operating rail services in Scotland, First ScotRail are committed to spending £40 million of capital expenditure over the seven years of the franchise. £17 million is due to be spent in the first 18 months of the franchise, of which £3.3 million has been spent to date.

  Additionally, a significant investment is being made in staff numbers and staff development. Approximately 400 additional staff have been employed in the Franchise to date, with more planned. First ScotRail are investing at least £1 million per annum in staff training and development.

Rail Network

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how much was paid to National Express Group under the previous ScotRail franchise.

Tavish Scott: The ScotRail franchise payments made to National Express Group under the previous franchise are detailed in the table below:

  

 Year
 1997-98
 1998-99
 1999-2000
 2000-01
 2001-02
 2002-03
 2003-04
 2004-05


£ Million
 288.63
 280.18
 270.00
 248.57
 214.26
 230.08
 251.67
 133.29



  This information was collated from the Strategic Rail Authority Annual Report 2004-2005. It should be noted that the figure for 2004-05 is for the half year until the franchise ended.

Rail Network

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how much will be paid to FirstGroup plc under the First ScotRail franchise.

Tavish Scott: The Scottish Executive will pay First ScotRail approximately £1.9 billion in ScotRail franchise payments over the seven year life of the franchise. However, this franchise payment is linked to performance and as such is subject to variation.

Rail Network

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how much of the fare revenue raised under the previous ScotRail franchise was (a) re-invested in services, (b) paid to National Express Group and (c) used for any other purposes, shown in cash terms and as a percentage of total revenue raised.

Tavish Scott: This information is not held by the Scottish Executive.

  Under the franchise, the total costs of operating the services and the revenues collected across all the routes were aggregated. In aggregate, the revenue collected under the first franchise was insufficient to cover operating costs. Therefore, subsidy required to be paid to National Express Group in addition to the revenue raised.

Rail Network

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how much of the fare revenue raised under the First ScotRail franchise has been (a) re-invested in services, (b) paid to FirstGroup plc and (c) used for any other purposes, shown in cash terms and as a percentage of total revenue raised.

Tavish Scott: The Scottish Executive has received excess revenue share from the First ScotRail franchise in respect of the franchise year ending in April 2005. Under the Franchise Agreement, First ScotRail Limited retain the remaining revenue. This in addition to the subsidy they receive covers their operating costs and profit. The sum received by the Scottish Executive was used to lower the subsidy paid to the franchisee.

  Information on the revenue raised under the ScotRail franchise is commercially confidential.

Rail Network

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how much subsidy ScotRail received (a) in total and (b) for each individual route, in each year since 1990.

Tavish Scott: The Scottish Executive does not hold information on the funding of ScotRail prior to privatisation.

  The total subsidy paid under the ScotRail franchises is:

  

 Year
 1997-98
 1998-99
 1999-2000
 2000-01
 2001-02
 2002-03
 2003-04
 2004-05


£ Million
 288.63
 280.18
 270.00
 248.57
 214.26
 230.08
 251.67
 218.59



  This information was collated from the Strategic Rail Authority Annual Report 2004-05. The subsidy costs are not broken down on a route-by-route basis.

Roads

Colin Fox (Lothians) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what environmental information it considered when granting funding for the A68 Dalkeith northern bypass and whether it will place copies of all reports on the issue in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.

Colin Fox (Lothians) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what environmental impact assessments have been carried out on the route of the Dalkeith bypass, giving the dates of such assessments, and whether it will place copies of all reports on the issue in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.

Tavish Scott: Environmental impact assessments were carried out prior to the public local inquiries in 1992 and 1996. Copies of the reports are being prepared and will be placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 37393).

Scottish Executive Staff

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many of its officials have travelled abroad on official business in each year since 1999 and how many times did these officials travel.

Mr Tom McCabe: The information is not held by the Scottish Executive in the format requested.

Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body

Parliamentary Visitors

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body how many visitors to the Parliament have been found carrying knives since September 2004; how many knives have been (a) returned to the owner or (b) confiscated, and whether people carrying knives have been reported to the police.

George Reid: The number of knives seized from visitors to the Parliament by security staff since the recording system was introduced in November 2004 until the 13 August 2005 is 3,575. The vast majority of these are the small pocket variety and are returned to the owner on their exit from the building. In the case of knives which have a blade in excess of 3.5 inches these are seized by the Parliament Police Unit. Information about knives seized and retained by the police or persons being reported to the procurator fiscal is not held by the Parliament but may be held by Lothian and Borders Police.